David Is Kind to Mephibosheth
1 One day, David thought, “I wonder if any of Saul's family are still alive. If they are, I will be kind to them, because I made a promise to Jonathan.” 2 David called in Ziba, one of the servants of Saul's family. David said, “So you are Ziba.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, I am.”
3 David asked, “Are any of Saul's family still alive? If there are, I want to be kind to them.”
Ziba answered, “One of Jonathan's sons is still alive, but he can't walk.”
4 “Where is he?” David asked.
Ziba replied, “He lives in Lo-Debar with Machir the son of Ammiel.”
5-6 David sent some servants to bring Jonathan's son from Lo-Debar. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was the grandson of Saul. He came to David and knelt down.
David asked, “Are you Mephibosheth?”
“Yes, I am, Your Majesty.”
7 David said, “Don't be afraid. I'll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I'm going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I'm worth no more than a dead dog.”
9 David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, “Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family. 10 You and your 15 sons and 20 servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table.”
11-13 Ziba replied, “Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do.” So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.
David naMefiboshet
1 Esiku limwe David okwa pula a ti: “Mezimo lyaSaul omwa hupa ngaa omuntu? Ngele omu na, onda hala ndi mu hololele olukeno omolwaJonatan.”
2 Okwa li ku na omupiya megumbo lyaSaul edhina lye Ziba. Oye a lombwelwa, a ye kuDavid. Omukwaniilwa okwa pula a ti:
“Ongoye Ziba?”
Ziba okwa yamukula a ti: “Ongame omupiya gwoye, tatekulu.”
3 Omukwaniilwa okwe mu pula a ti: “Oku na tuu ngoka a hupa ko mezimo lyaSaul, ndi vule oku mu hololela olukeno, ngaashi ndu uvanekele Kalunga?”
Ziba okwa yamukula a ti: “Oku na natango gumwe gwomoyanamati yaJonatan, ndele oshilema.”
4 Omukwaniilwa okwa pula a ti:
“Oku li peni?”
Ziba okwa yamukula a ti: “OkaandjaMakir gaAmmiel muLodebar.” 5 Nena omukwaniilwa David okwa tumu ko, a ka talwe. 6 Mefiboshet yaJonatan, omutekulu gwaSaul, sho e ya, okwi inyongamene koshipala shaDavid, e mu simaneke. David okwa ti: “Mefiboshet.” Oye a yamukula: “Ongame nguka, mupiya gwoye, tatekulu.”
7 David okwa tsikile a ti: “Ino tila, otandi ku sile ohenda molwaho Jonatan. Otandi ke ku galulila omapya agehe gahokulu Saul, noto ka lya aluhe poshililo shandje.”
8 Mefiboshet okwa nyongama ishewe e ta ti: “Ngame kandi ivule nombwa ya sa, tatekulu! Omolwashike to pukulula ndje e to sile ndje ohenda yi thike mpono?”
9 Nena omukwaniilwa okwi ithana Ziba, omupiya gwaSaul, e ta ti: “Otandi pe Mefiboshet, omutekulu gwamwene gwoye, iinima ayihe yaSaul noyezimo lye. 10 Ngoye, aamwoyemati naapiya yoye, ka longeni omapya gezimo gamwene gwoye Saul noku ga teya, opo omuna gwamwene gwoye a mone iipalutha. Ihe Mefiboshet ye mwene ota ka lya aluhe koshililo shandje.” (Ziba okwa li e na oyanamati omulongo nayatano naapiya omilongo mbali.)
11 Ziba okwa yamukula a ti: “Otandi ningi shaa shoka Nkeyama ta ti.”
Osho ngaaka Mefiboshet a kala ta li poshililo shomukwaniilwa a fa naanaa gumwe gwomoyanamati yomukwaniilwa. 12 Mefiboshet okwa li e na okamwanamati edhina lyako Mika. Aantu ayehe yomegumbo lyaZiba oya ningi aapiya yaMefiboshet. 13 Onkee Mefiboshet, ngoka a li a lemana komagulu ge agehe, a kala muJerusalem ta li oondya dhe adhihe koshililo shomukwaniilwa.
